Naruto is a beloved series that has captured the hearts of millions of fans around the world, and a big part of that success is some of the best story arcs in any shonen series. With its sympathetic main character, thrilling battles, and intricate plotlines, there's no doubt Naruto's plotlines have earned it worldwide acclaim.

Throughout the series, there have been many memorable story arcs that have left a lasting impression on viewers. Some are universally praised while others, understandably so, receive a substantial amount of criticism. Though some Naruto arcs have notable flaws, Naruto's best story arcs balance action, drama, and character development like no other shonen before or since.

20 Tenchi Bridge

Chapters 282 - 310 & Episodes 33 - 53 of Naruto Shippuden

With Kakashi and Sasuke out of the picture temporarily, a new Team 7 with the additions of Yamato and Sai works together to lure out Kabuto at the Tenchi Bridge. While successful, Orochimaru makes a sudden appearance, leading to Naruto losing himself to his power and letting Kurama take over. Meanwhile, Sai's real intent was to assassinate Sasuke, abandoning the team in favor of his real mission. While he did find him, the rest of the team managed to catch up, and one of the most heartbreaking scenes followed with Naruto pleading to Sasuke to return but to no avail.

The drama between the team was a highlight of this arc, and Sai's nasty personality rubbing off Naruto and Sakura the wrong way gave a good starting point for the friendship that was about to bloom. The fight between a transformed Naruto and Orochimaru was equally great as well, but it was unfortunately the last good fight from the Snake Sannin.

19 Search For Tsunade

Chapters 139 - 171 & Episodes 81 - 100 of Naruto

The Chunin Exams, Konoha Crush, and the Sasuke Retrieval arc are all some of the most iconic and well-loved arcs in Naruto history, and unfortunately that can lead fans to ignore the arc that came in between them, the Search for Tsunade arc. The arc sees Naruto teaming up with the Sannin Jiraiya to find a replacement for the Third Hokage, Tsunade. Along the way, Jiraiya teaches Naruto what would end up as his strongest attack, the Rasengan.

Though not as epic as the Sasuke Retrieval arc, the Search For Tsunade arc is still critical for Naruto's character development and in how it established Tsunade as a major character. Jiraiya and Naruto's relationship would become an important element of the series going forward, and that all started with the Search for Tsunade arc.

18 Kakashi Gaiden

Episodes 119 - 120 of Shippuden

Kakashi Hatake's origins and past were long overdue, and fans finally got to see the fan favorite's flashback after the Sasuke Retrieval arc and before the first arc of the time skip kicked off. This is where Obito and Rin were formally introduced, and how Kakashi received his Sharingan was answered. Furthermore, there was a callback to Kakashi's philosophy of treasuring his friends, and how he came to learn this lesson.

This arc was everything one could want in a flashback. It clearly explains the character's motivation, sets up future events, answers much-needed questions and gives the character even more depth. Interestingly, this arc wasn't the full backstory of Kakashi and it was in the war arc where it was revealed what happened after Obito died.

17 Akatsuki Suppression Mission

Chapters 311 - 342 & Episodes 72 - 88 of Shippuden

Shikamaru is one of Naruto's best characters, and though the Akatsuki Suppression Mission arc isn't solely about Konoha's resident lazy genius, the arc features his best fight. Setting aside everything involving Kakuzu, the major developments of the Akatsuki Suppression Mission arc are Hidan killing Asuma and then Shikamaru getting revenge for his fallen master. Given Shikamaru's incredible intellect, it's always been clear that he's a threat, having him take down the Akatsuki's resident immortal though truly cements his status as a Shinobi.

While Asuma wasn't exactly one of the series' most beloved characters, his death still hit fans hard, partially due to just how much it clearly impacted Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji. Part 2 of Naruto truly shows the deadly stakes at play when facing the Akatsuki, so having Shikamaru succeed where Asuma failed confirms just how much the new generation of Konoha shinobi are suring their predecessors.

16 Konoha Hiden: The Perfect Day for a Wedding

Episodes 494 - 500 of Shippuden

Naruto has never really been a romance series, yet relationships and love have always been on the periphery. Though some fans might balk at ending Naruto Shippuden with a wedding, it's a perfect way to bring Naruto's story full circle and to establish how much hope there is for the new age of peace fans see at Naruto: Shippuden's end. To see Naruto surrounded by so many people who care about him is genuinely heartwarming considering just how isolated and lonely the young ninja started.

Though The Perfect Day for a Wedding Arc isn't in the Naruto manga, it does contain one element that should be viewed as an essential part of the series. Naruto's relationship with Iruka goes criminally under-explored throughout much of Naruto's story, which is why it's so incredible to see Naruto ask his father-figure to walk him down the aisle at his wedding.

15 Six Tails Unleashed

Episodes 145 - 152 of Shippuden

Naruto and his team meet Utakata, the jinchūriki of the Six-Tails, and a girl named Hotaru. Utakata, scarred by his past, is wary of others, while Hotaru is targeted because of a dangerous jutsu sealed inside her. As Naruto forms a bond with Hotaru, he tries to protect them from the enemies pursuing them, including the Akatsuki.

This filler arc, while interrupting the flow of the Fated Battle Between Brothers and Pain arc, did a great job making viewers attached to Utakata and feel the loss of a Jinchuriki to Pain and the Akatsuki. The series never explored the other Tailed Beasts besides Kurama and Gyuki, so this arc at the very least helped with the series' worldbuilding. Furthermore, this arc perfectly replicated the manga's theme of a master and student relationship, with Utakata and Hotaru having an amazing and wholesome relationship, which made that much more heartbreaking when Utakata was killed.

14 Kakashi's Anbu Arc: The Shinobi That Lives in the Darkness

Episodes 349 - 361 of Shippuden

Naruto: Shippuden is filled with filler, but as Kakashi's Anbu Arc proves, filler doesn't always have to be a bad thing. The arc, as its name implies, details Kakashi's time in the Anbu and gives more details about his tragic past. Fans already knew something of Kakashi's time in the Anbu, such as his partnership with Itachi, but Kakashi's Anbu Arc goes a long way to filling out the details of what that partnership was like. The result is that it isn't just Kakashi who has his backstory fleshed out, but also Itachi, Hiruzen, and Yamato.

The problem with much of Naruto's filler is that it doesn't expand the story or the characters in meaningful ways. At worst, much of the filler are attempts at comedy that come across as off considering the wider events going on in canon. With Kakashi's Anbu Arc though, the series shows just how effective filler can be. The arc is a must-watch for any fan of Kakashi and is good enough to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the series' best canon arcs.

13 Sasuke Shinden

Episodes 484 - 488 of Shippuden

Sasuke investigates a mysterious illness spreading across a village, causing people to behave violently. His search leads him to clash with rogue shinobi and uncover hidden conspiracies. Throughout the novel, Sasuke struggles with loneliness, guilt, and his new role as a protector, while also reflecting on his bonds with Team 7, especially Naruto.

This novel adaptation of Sasuke Shinden side stories really helped Sasuke's character by showing his commitment to atonement and finding out the truth of the ninja world after being used for so long. It's a crucial exploration of his path to redemption, offering a more introspective look at one of the most complex characters in the Naruto series.

12 The Fourth Great Shinobi War

Chapters 484 - 639 & Episodes 215 - 375 of Shippuden

The Fourth Great Shinobi War was undoubtedly one of the most highly anticipated arcs in Naruto history. Never before had the stage been set so precisely, with moving pieces placed all over the ninja world. The return of many once-prominent ninjas and the unification of the world's great armies was a sight to behold as the arc unfolded.

Naruto's Fourth Shinobi World War arc is actually three arcs consisting of Countdown, Confrontation, and Climax. Given that all the arcs center around one event though, it makes sense to consider them all apart of one mega-arc.

Highlights of this action-packed arc include Kakashi's bitter fight against Obito in the Kamui realm, the return of big Naruto villains Madara and Itachi, and Might Guy's Gate of Death. Unfortunately, the arc was also bogged down with just as many fights that lacked significance, such as Kankuro's Special Ops team battling Sasori and Deidara. While the arc was full of amazing moments, it really needed to narrow down its focus to ensure that every battle was relevant to the plot at hand.

11 The Kazekage Rescue Mission

Chapters 248 - 281 & Episodes 1 - 32 of Shippuden

The Kazekage Rescue Mission arc saw Naruto and his friends travel to the Hidden Sand Village in order to rescue Gaara, who had recently become the Kazekage. This arc begins with a great tactical battle between Gaara and Deidara. The Akatsuki had already been established in Naruto's first part with Itachi and Kisame, but it wasn't until Part 2 that fans got a wider picture of the group with the likes of Deidara and Sasori.

This arc serves as a great reintroduction to Naruto and Sakura after the timeskip and contains Sakura's most memorable battle in Naruto history. This is also the first time fans were introduced to Kakashi's Mangekyo Sharingan in the hunt for Deidara. While this arc develops sympathy for new additions to the cast like Sasori and Granny Chiyo, other characters that should have been prominent were left to the wayside, like Kankuro and Temari.